This approach, as depicted in Figure
5, incorporates several earlier proposals with one additional
concept and consists of three main components:

1. An enhanced evaporation system (E.E.S.) to reduce and
control salinity levels, would be combined with a solar pond power
plant to generate electricity.

Such a system was previously proposed by ORMAT, an Israeli
geothermal development company. It combined E.E.S. utilizing spray
nozzles to "mist" water, thus increasing the evaporation rate
while decreasing the necessary surface area, with a power
generation system in which solar heated brine evaporates organic
fluid which drives a turbine to produce mechanical work which is
then converted to electricity.

Cost reductions from the original concept are possible by
locating it adjacent to the Salton Sea, utilizing evaporative
ponds to concentrate approximately half of the salt brine and
thereby reducing the capitol and operating cost of the EES system
and clustering the solar ponds so as to reduce grading. The system
could potentially be located between Bombay Beach and the Wister
Wildlife Refuge.

2.Two diked areas, which would be used to stabilize the
elevation of the Sea, would be constructed at the south end of the
Sea near the Alamo River and the New River. A third area might be
constructed at the north end near the Whitewater River. These
areas would help stabilize the Sea's elevation by compensating for
withdrawals needed to reduce salinity. In addition, the dikes
would reclaim land from the Sea which might then be used for other
purposes such as agriculture, wildlife habitat, or water
harvesting.

3.Constructing wetlands at or near the mouths of the New, Alamo
and Whitewater Rivers would address the pollutants issue.
Constructed wetlands utilize natural biological processes to
purify wastewater. Water is funneled through aquatic plant systems
which absorb and biodegrade organics. Plants will also uptake
heavy metals.

4.2.1 Benefits of this Alternative

This combination of diking, E.E.S./solar pond power plant, and
constructed wetlands remediates the identified problems at the Salton
Sea and provides additional benefits as follows:

a. Salinity

The E.E.S./solar pond power plant has the capacity to
lower the salinity level of the Sea to 35,000 ppm in
approximately 10 years. This would require pumping
approximately 250,000 acre feet of water out of the Sea per
year. Assuming historic levels of inflow to the Sea, the
surface elevation could drop over 10 feet during this period
without diking off a portion of the Sea.

b. Surface Elevation Stabilization

The construction of a diked area would reduce the
total volume of the Sea thus compensating for the withdrawal of
water to the E.E.S./solar pond power plant. The diked area
would also provide a mechanism to stabilize the surface
elevation at a drop of about 5 feet from existing levels by
providing an area into which water could be diverted from the
Sea or in which storm water and/or diverted agricultural
run-off treated in the constructed wetlands could be stored to
release into the Sea.

c. Pollutant Control

The constructed wetlands at the mouths of the New and
Alamo Rivers would assist in filtering pollutants such as
selenium and remove excess nutrients through biological
processes. Should constructed wetlands be inadequate to
completely address nutrient loading and pollutant issues, other
approaches could be explored as adjuncts. Such approaches could
include pumping water with high concentrations of selenium into
an aquifer to fix the selenium into the soil as selenite under
anaerobic conditions. Other potential approaches include
pumping water from under high selenium lands, reverse osmosis
treatment at selected locations where selenium concentrations
are highest, and selectively retiring farm lands where the
concentrations of selenium are highest.

d. Additional Benefits

Up to 15,000 megawatts of power could be generated for
sale. This creates not only useful energy, but also a revenue
stream to help offset the cost of restoring the Sea.

Desalination of water may be combined with the E.E.S./solar
pond power plant and blended with agricultural return water and
utilized for irrigation (utilizing distillation of cooling
water). The irrigation water thus saved could be sold to water
purveyors for use elsewhere in southern California. This
provides an additional revenue source to help offset
remediation costs.

Diked areas might be used to capture storm runoff which
could then be treated and sold along with desalinized
water.

Diked areas could also be utilized to create additional
wetlands habitat or could be reclaimed for agricultural uses.
Lease of this land for agricultural purposes would be another
revenue source.

Dikes could provide access for fishing and other
recreational opportunities such as wildlife viewing.

Wetlands habitat, whether in the diked area or in the
constructed wetlands, could be established as a mitigation bank
and credits sold.

Stabilization of the surface elevation would create new
development opportunities by eliminating the threat of
inundation.

4.2.2 Issues Requiring Additional Consideration

Issues requiring further study include disposal of brine,
potential environmental impacts, market demand for the energy
produced, and demand for water harvested for sale.

4.2.3 Long Term Management

In exploring ways to address the major threats to the
Sea, it is important to also think about the opportunities which
are created for long term management. Activities and enterprises
made possible by the rehabilitation of the Sea ought to help pay
for the costs of remediation and long term management. What are
some of these activities and enterprises?

The constructed wetlands would provide expanded wildlife
habitat which could increase visitation by birders and others
interested in viewing nature. If dike areas were also managed, at
least in part, for wildlife habitat, this too could expand
visitation. A wildlife viewing area could possibly be established
at the northern end of the Sea to augment the viewing areas at the
southern end. Restoration and enhancement of a sport fishery would
also attract additional visitors. This would encourage state park
improvements and could create additional demand for services,
including camping facilities, motels, restaurants, etc.

Stabilization of the surface elevation would create
opportunities to restore and enhance existing marina/recreation
areas at the Sea and potentially create new facilities. Additional
residential, commercial, and resort development, including golf
course development might also result.

Collectively, these opportunities could lead to the realization
of the Salton Sea's tourism potential. Such potential ought to be
encouraged and planned for since revenues from these various
improvements could help pay remediation and management costs for
the Sea.

The development of a comprehensive plan would enable the
Authority to evaluate remediation alternatives in the context of
longer term goals and objectives, and to identify opportunities
created by the rehabilitation of the Sea and the best strategies
for capitalizing on them. Accompanying environmental documents
would provide a sound basis for decision-making and might function
as a program EIR for later project specific planning.